Posted: 01/05/2008

Joseph Campbell: Mythos I

(2007)

by Katie Morris

Available from Acorn Media.

Joseph Campbell’s lectures have been broadcast on PBS repeatedly, and are now brought together on this newly remastered, two-disc DVD release from Acorn Media. Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was a writer and teacher who spent his life studying the world’s mythologies, and noting the striking comparisons to be found among them. He is perhaps best known for The Power of Myth, a series of television interviews with Bill Moyers, or for his books, among them The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Masks of God.

Susan Sarandon hosts this series, introducing each program and redirecting the audience’s attention at a few points. She warns from the beginning that this series isn’t for everyone—and she’s surely right. Campbell’s goal isn’t just to entertain his audience, but to teach them, introduce new ideas, and ultimately, to inspire them to think. This series shows his lectures on Western mythology, divided into five programs. His talks range from the psychology of archetypal symbols encountered in myths and dreams, to the early hunter-gatherer societies to see where mythology came into being. From here, he takes us forward through the earliest civilizations to Greek mystery religions, and discusses the fascinating ties between those and the teachings of the Judeo-Christian faith.

Campbell takes apart these myths to reveal the underlying universal themes, and shows how they transcend time and are depicted across different cultures. Campbell frequently refers to artwork from early societies—including ceramic pottery, carvings, and paintings—to tell the stories of early myths. Using enhanced images, these lectures are presented with minimal editing and in the order Campbell had intended.

With Campbell’s sense of humor and a storyteller’s timing, these lectures provide a mini-education to the biggest mystery—our own humanity. Campbell takes a look at how humans have traditionally balanced their day-to-day world with an interior, spiritual world filled with symbols, darkness and light. He ardently believed mythology is the link between these two worlds. Anyone who doesn’t mind a lecture—told by an engaging, passionate thinker—should find much to enjoy in this series. And more importantly, a lot to think about. Joseph Campbell: Mythos II, showcasing Campbell’s lectures on South and East Asian mythology, is scheduled to be released in Spring 2008.

Katie Morris is a freelance writer and film critic in Chicago..

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